To encourage muscle hypertrophy or growth, perform four to six sets of six to 12 repetitions per exercise. Rest one to three minutes between each set and two minutes between exercises. Select a weight heavy enough to fully fatigue each muscle group. Split training focus to specific muscle groups per workout, and avoid performing full-body strength training in a single session. For example, on Monday, train the shoulders, chest and biceps. On Wednesday, train the quadriceps, hamstrings and buttocks. On Friday, train the triceps, back and calf muscles.

Rest between training days

Prevent extreme muscle soreness and potential damage by resting 48 hours between muscle-specific exercises. For example, if chest and biceps muscle groups are trained on Monday, do not train those groups again until Wednesday. Adequate rest between training sessions is essential for safe muscle growth.